


Novel Encounters

by Dawnrider



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Shy Inuyasha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:13:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23048329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawnrider/pseuds/Dawnrider
Summary: Comic Book Day is initially a bit of a nightmare for Inuyasha, who would rather be a lot of places other than a crowded city bookstore on some holiday he doesn't get with a bouncy Shippou.  But being the good Big Brother he is, he ventures out anyway and finds that new experiences can be a positive thing.From an anon fluff prompt I received on Tumblr.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 120
Kudos: 177





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The fluff prompt I received grew and morphed into this and has become a much bigger thing than originally intended. There will be another part, hopefully in time for the Inuyasha White Day Tumblr event on March 14th, 2020.

Watching the red ponytail in front of him bob, Inuyasha tried to breathe shallowly while keeping track of his charge. There were so many people, so many smells, it was hard for him to focus. But he was responsible for Shippou and if he lost him in this crowd, they would probably arrest him… or something.  _ This is all Miroku’s doing anyway _ , he thought with a scowl. He didn’t mind the kit, really, but the outings on a weekly basis were tough. Inuyasha didn’t deal with people well and Shippou was absolutely a people person. Everyone he met was practically his new best friend! The inuhanyou, on the other hand, often felt like a rock was sitting on his chest when he was in situations where he had to “chat” with people he didn’t know.

“Big Brothers and Big Sisters would be perfect!” Miroku had told him with the enthusiasm of someone knowing their idea would be denied out of hand. He was persistent though, keeping after his friend of over a decade until he finally caved and applied. Inuyasha was honestly a bit surprised they had accepted him. He was a business analyst who spent most of his time in a cubicle avoiding actual direct communication with his coworkers. That’s what email was for! He was stable, no record (surprisingly), and was successful on paper. But he was also boring and a hanyou. Not much to promote him as a child mentor.

Here he was, following a very animated nine-year-old kitsune through the congested streets of the city on “Comic Book Day” to go to the “best bookstore in town.” Not his favorite thing to do, especially on a weekend when it was bound to be busy. On top of it, people kept saying “May the Fourth be with you” and he was starting to feel like an idiot for not understanding why everyone thought the date today was so funny.

Squeezing between a tall man in a costume covered in brown fur and the doorframe, Inuyasha scowled as he caught the back of Shippou’s shirt. “Hang on, Runt! I gotta be able to keep track of you.”

“I know, I know! But looook!” he sighed as his green eyes took in all of the books around them. There were large cardboard cutouts everywhere, and people in various levels of costume dress to rival the cutouts. Inuyasha let out a breath and tried to use his calmest tone.

“I know you’re excited, but if I lose you, your foster mom is gonna string me up by my toes.” Shippou snickered, but did settle himself enough to stick close by. Inuyasha felt his heart rate infinitesimally slow. With a close eye on the kid, he navigated the crowd with the goal of bumping into as few people as possible.

Then a scent caught his nose, a sweet and faintly floral note over a heavier one. Inuyasha and Shippou both started following their sense of smell without realizing it, meandering toward what they eventually recognized as the cafe. It was less crowded there for the moment, and the inuhanyou felt like his lungs could finally fill completely. Something about the combination of scents was soothing in a way he didn’t expect to find in such a crowded place.

“May the fourth be with you!” The man startled, turning to find her behind the counter of the cafe. He stared blankly at her, struggling with what the appropriate response should be. “You know. Star Wars? The Force?” After a short moment his eyes widened and his mouth formed an oh of understanding. It was probably one of the most adorable things she’d ever seen. He wasn’t much into this stuff, but he was making such an obvious effort for the boy with him. It was sweet, even if he was a bit awkward. “Nathan had to remind me yesterday,” she whispered conspiratorially, nodding in the direction of her manager. He was dressed, not very well, as one of the big superheroes from a more recent movie. The man blinked his strangely colored eyes at her, then let a tiny smirk lift his lips.

“What is that smell?” the boy asked, coming up to the counter, red ponytail quivering as he openly sniffed in her direction. Kagome grinned and pointed to the glass case.

“Just took the almond croissants from the oven. The almond is pretty strong, huh?” The boy nodded emphatically.

“Butter. That was the other smell.”

Kagome blinked, not sure how to reply to the older man’s somewhat random statement. “Um. Yes! There’s quite a bit of butter in them.” She watched him pale, then the tiniest smile on his lips.  _ That’s even cuter than before! _ she squealed internally. “You can try a sample…”

“I’m Shippou, and that’s my Big Brother, Inuyasha.” The boy paused. “But not like… my real brother, the program, you know?” She grinned in response, giving Inuyasha a quick glance before returning her full attention to the enthusiastic boy directly in front of her. He was eyeing the pastries expectantly, a glitter of hunger in his green eyes.

“Nice to meet you, Shippou and… Inuyasha, was it?” Kagome bit her lip at the adorable blush that rose on his cheeks at having her full attention on him. “You’re both welcome to try some, if you want.” Shippou showed no qualms in accepting the small piece of the sweet, Inuyasha hesitating a moment before stepping forward to let her put some in his palm. “Your cosplay is awesome, by the way,” she said with a glance at his hair and ears. He startled at her words, golden eyes widening and the previous flush returning with a vengeance.

“Oh. He’s not in costume. Inuyasha is a hanyou,” Shippou commented around a mouthful of croissant.

It was Kagome’s turn to pale. “Oh my… I’m sorry, that was so rude of me to assume!”

“Keh. S’alright.” His eyes dropped to the floor and she felt the loss of his gaze like the sun going behind a cloud. The guilt at hurting him like that stuck in her throat and her eyes watered. “Hey, it’s ok, really! D-Don’t cry!” he begged her, stepping up to the counter and waving his empty hand in a stunted attempt to calm her down. “Not many of us around, ya know?” he muttered, giving her a strained smile when she took a calming breath and blew it out slowly.

“Is it ok if I go look at that table?” Shippou asked, breaking them from their staring contest. Inuyasha followed his pointing finger to the table of children’s comic books just on the edge of the tiled floor that outlined the cafe’s space. He nodded, giving the boy a stern look that spoke volumes before leaning back against the counter. “Thanks!”

“He’s very exuberant.”

“You got no idea. He’s all over the place.” His voice turned sad. “Not surprising. Only kitsune in a foster home full of human kids. None of them can keep up with him.”

“That’s great that he’s got you then, isn’t it?” she said softly. Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder at her, a thoughtful look lowering his brows slightly.

“‘Spose so.”

Her smile brightening after the previous near meltdown was a balm on his nerves. He did not deal with crying. Not at all. If she had started, he probably would have bolted and the kid would have been called in as abandoned…  _ Stop spiraling, _ he scolded himself. “How long have you been part of the program?” she asked, moving around behind the counter to clean up little messes here, imaginary spots there. Inuyasha understood the need for movement when one felt uncomfortable.

“A few months. It was my friend’s idea.” He heard her pause. He realized that it might sound like he wasn’t all that interested in this very big responsibility. “I-I wanted to do it. It’s important.”

A beep perked his ears and he glanced back to see Kagome put a pan of something into the small oven on the back counter. “It is very important. Especially for kids who don’t have a lot of positive role models.” There was a repeat clicking sound as she set the timer. “My younger brother was part of the program as a Little Brother when he was in middle school.”

“O-Oh yea?” Inuyasha turned his body a bit so he could catch her gaze while still keeping an eye and ear on the kid. “Are you… are your… Um.”

“My father died when we were pretty young. Souta is six years younger than I am, so he never even knew him.”

“I’m sorry,” he responded a little awkwardly. She shrugged. “Did he feel like it was a good experience?”

“Yea. He’s still in contact with his Big Brother. He was even part of his wedding when he got married a few years ago.” Inuyasha nodded appreciatively. That’s the kind of experience he hoped he could give Shippou. To be someone he could rely on.  _ Just need to figure out how to rely on myself _ . “It looks like you’re a good fit. He looks up to you, you know?”

Inuyasha blinked, staring at the young boy pouring over a colorful comic book with what looked like dragons on the cover. “You think so?” Shippou must have felt their attention, looking up before holding the paperback up for him to see the cover more clearly, grinning from ear to ear. Inuyasha tossed him a thumbs up and a slight smile.

“Pretty sure,” she giggled.

“Kagome! Are the sugar cookies ready for the decorating event?” The pair startled from their comfortable lean on the counter at the male voice that sliced through the murmur of voices inside the shop.

“Oh! Yes. They’re all cooled, Nathan.” Kagome pointed to the short rack of large cookie trays with nearly two dozen square cookies on them. He could smell the vanilla and sugar from where he stood. “I’m sorry, I have to get the tables set up.” Inuyasha nodded, but felt a bit deflated at the lost chance to keep talking with her. He actually  _ liked _ talking with her. It was honestly the first time he’d had that thought during conversation with a stranger. A girl, at that!

“Keh.” He paused. “D-Do you need help?”

Kagome looked a little surprised, then smiled. “That would actually be great.” He checked in with Shippou, who was still flipping through comics, and got a waved hand and a sly grin in response. Inuyasha chose not to rise to the bait in that grin, jumping back in to keep Kagome from dropping a very large folding table on her foot.

The pair of them continued to chat as he deftly unfolded the table, helping Kagome move the cafe tables around so they could fit more chairs into the small space. It was easy talking with her, he noted, much more so than he ever would have imagined. She was patient with his hesitations, never laughed when he said something slightly off. Inuyasha barely felt the time fly by. When children started gathering at the tables, most younger than Shippou, he almost wanted to shoo them away. “Inuyasha…”

“Yea, I know. I should get the kid home.”

“No. Well… If you have to.” He took in her scent, surprised by the disappointment coloring it. Did she… not want him to leave? “There’s another event for young readers next week, if you have another outing with Shippou.”

“I… Yea, I’ll bring it up to him.” Inuyasha leveled her with a serious look for a moment. “You’ll be here then too?” The smile she gave him nearly stopped his heart. She was so beautiful…  _ and kind and sweet and… and…  _ “G-Good. Maybe we’ll see you then.” She nodded. “Save a couple of those almond things for us, alright? I’ll remember to bring cash next time.” He turned to look for Shippou again, taking a breath to settle his heart.

“Inuyasha, wait!” He stopped, spinning on his heel at her urgent call. She nearly collided with his chest in an effort to catch him. Inuyasha reached out to capture her elbows, not wanting her to tip backward. “Take one for the road?” she breathed, her dark eyes drawing him in. Her scent overpowered anything else in the cafe, even the previously overwhelming almond. Inuyasha found himself studying the way her personal fragrance tickled his senses, the feel of her soft skin against his fingertips. They both took a slightly shuddering breath, frozen in their half-embrace.

“Cool! You gonna split that with me, Inuyasha?” Shippou’s voice shocked them apart so fast, Kagome almost did stumble. The hanyou finally noticed the partially wrapped almond croissant in her hands between them, which had been at severe risk of being squashed a moment before. He smiled awkwardly, then accepted the pastry and softly thanked her. He moved off with Shippou bouncing beside him in anticipation of his half. “We’re so coming back here, aren’t we?” he asked when he finally had his piece and they were making their way back toward the public parking garage. Inuyasha shrugged, trying - and failing - to be nonchalant. “Yea, I thought so. You toooootally love her,” he cackled.

“W-What?! No!” Inuyasha balked at the bold statement. The kitsune kit was absolutely in his element, giggling and taunting him as he skipped down the sidewalk. “Hey Runt, that’s not funny. Grown ups don’t just…” He hesitated, not because he wasn’t sure of the right explanation, but because it was hitting him that it was not an entirely off accusation.

“Fall in love at first sight?” Shippou crowed with glee. Inuyasha snarled and snatched him up into a light headlock. Shippou only delighted in the playful back and forth, Inuyasha unable to sternly refute the kit’s words. What he did know was that they would be visiting the bookstore the following weekend. And likely the one after that, as long as Kagome was working again.  _ Might pick up a reading habit _ , he thought as they got into his car, half the pastry stuck in his mouth as he put on his seatbelt.  _ There are worse things. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha continues to visit the bookstore, undeniably drawn to Kagome. She invites him to an event at the bookstore, though he isn't sure he should go. But when the night turns out to be moonless... he takes a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bookstore ~~saga~~ AU continues! You'll find art from the lovely @Thunderpot here. _I love how creators work together!_

He knew he shouldn’t feel this anxious. It wasn’t the first time he’d gone to see Kagome on his own. It wasn’t even just the second. He and Shippou had made it their weekly excursion to see her at the bookstore. Sometimes working in the stacks to reshelve and organize the books, sometimes baking in the cafe. It was clear that Kagome was a woman of many talents and interests. He had even stopped in a few times on Tuesday afternoons after work to grab a crossword book for his “grandfather” Myouga or a magazine for his mother. Kagome always welcomed him with a bright smile and a wave. He made an effort to talk with her for at least a few minutes before she had to run or he needed to get going himself.

Even in those brief moments of connection, Inuyasha felt a longing for more that he could not remember feeling before. It was a somewhat bittersweet feeling. She was kind to him, friendly, almost on the verge of flirtatious, but he couldn’t help remembering how she thought he was in a costume and her shock upon finding out it was all real. Though she had been genuinely distraught over pointing out his ears before, clear worry that she had offended him. The fact remained that he wasn't sure his youkai ancestry wasn't an issue for her.

He had learned over several visits that she had grown up on a Shinto shrine in a quiet area outside of town. She had commiserated with him about how overwhelming the city could feel at times. Inuyasha loved that she liked the outdoors but admitted curling up with a book, tea, and her cat was her favorite thing to do. Kagome mentioned that she wrote a lot, but had blushed and changed the subject when he asked what it was. He shrugged it off at first, but after she’d accidentally mentioned it a few times, he’d decided she needed to be pressed a little harder to share. The fact that he’d caught her during her lunch, scribbling furiously in a notebook with a half-drunk cup of coffee and a scone beside her, presented itself as a perfect opportunity to ask more about her in general.

“Kagome. Hey,” he called out to her at the table. It took her a moment to look up, obviously finishing a thought in ink before she could give him her attention.

“Inuyasha! Hi!” she said with a wide grin. She patted the chair beside her and he felt compelled to sit with her, no matter how nervous he was. They made small talk for a few minutes, Kagome asking how his mother was and what Shippou was up to. Undeterred by his stilted conversation, she asked what he had been up to lately as well.

“Oh, not much.” _Except working up the nerve to try talking to you about what’s going on with us._ Inuyasha sighed. He had no idea whatsoever how he was going to approach the topic.

“Inuyasha?” He looked up at her again. “We’re… friends, right?” she asked gently. _Does she mindread?!_ he thought, fighting to keep his face somewhat neutral. He nodded tentatively. “Good. Good. I wasn’t sure if you were just being nice to me.”

“Huh?” he replied eloquently. “I-I thought you were just being nice to _me_ … after that day.”

Kagome flushed and ducked her head. He instantly felt awful for bringing it up again when he knew he should have let it lie. “I’m so sorry for the way I reacted. I was just surprised. I saw so many people in all kinds of costumes that day and I just… I’m so, so sorry, Inuyasha,” she told him emphatically, grasping his hands in hers and shocking him more than a bit. He barely resisted the initial instinct to snatch his hands back. Kagome’s hands were soft, warm, and small in his. Inuyasha found himself slowly relaxing his fingers and truly soaking in the feel of her touch. She didn’t shy from him at all, as he had expected she might, diving in to touch him without a second thought and then only stiffening because he did. She relaxed with him as well, her thumbs just barely caressing the backs of his knuckles.

“I… it’s… it’s ok. I know you didn’t mean it that way.” Kagome smiled gratefully. It was another few breaths before she let go of his hands, the slightly nervous tilt returning to her mouth. “What were you writing so furiously a minute ago?” he asked, glancing at the open notebook at her elbow. Kagome glanced over and smiled awkwardly.

“Ideas. I wanted to get them down before I forgot, you know?”

“Ideas?” She nodded. “For more writing?”

“Yea. I… I have some more stuff I’m working on that I haven’t had time to focus on until now, but I didn’t want to forget the images, the scenes, I had in mind.” She paused for a moment, taking a big breath. Inuyasha could tell she was psyching herself up for something. “There’s a book release here next Friday. A party, sort of.” The nervousness in her scent didn’t fade right away. “It would be great if you came.”

Inuyasha blinked in surprise. “Me? I mean… What book is it?”

“Oh… well it’s… mine? It’s a graphic novel, actually.” His eyes reflected his surprise. “I’m just the writer, though,” she hedged. “My friend Tess is the artist. And she’s amazing. Here…” Kagome pulled a notebook out of her bag and flipped through a few ink-scribbled pages before coming to a small printed image. It was of a man chained to a huge tree, mist surrounding it to give it a mystical or dream-like quality. The man had long dark hair, old style red clothing... But what caught Inuyasha was how you could make out the rage on the man’s face as he fought the restraints that bound him, the manacles at his wrists, the chains that bound him with ofuda to the trunk. It was beautiful and terrible and mesmerizing. “That’s one of the main characters. He’s bound there because his lover was tricked into thinking he was trying to kill her. And the main female character is dreaming about him being trapped, but doesn’t know that he’s real at first.”

“Wow. That’s p-pretty intense,” he murmured, gently taking the print from her and looking a little more closely. “This is her here?” he asked, indicating the woman standing to the side, weeping as she stared at the man on the tree.” Kagome nodded, sidling up next to him so they could look at it together more easily. “Your artist friend is very good.”

“She’s amazing. She catches the emotion of what I wrote so beautifully. I’m always amazed.” Kagome smiled. “And she tries to brush off my praise but I know she’s working so hard on all of her projects.” She pointed out other small details that her friend had been able to include. “This was just a concept piece too. I can’t wait for you to see the whole thing!” she told him excitedly. “I haven’t even gotten my completed copy yet. If… if you were interested, at the party, I could sign one for you? Tess will be there too,” she hastily explained.

He so desperately wanted to say yes. Supporting Kagome in yet another one of her talents with his presence seemed so easy. But he couldn’t ignore how longingly she looked at the man in the image. Was the character written with an ex in mind? A fantasy maybe? Or someone she wanted, but hadn’t caught the eye of yet? The only thing he had in common with the man in the image was the length of his hair. “I’ll see what my schedule looks like,” he muttered instead of outright agreeing as had been his initial inclination.

"Oh. Yea, of course!" she said brightly. Too brightly. Inuyasha wasn't stupid. He knew she was disappointed by his answer but…

"I'll try to make it work," he said lamely.

* * *

The streetlights lit little bubbles of night as he made his way down the familiar street. There were nowhere near as many people out as there would be during the day, which was a relief. Even so, there was an anonymity in the darkness, the dull yellow lights… the lack of moon. The bookstore was a well-lit beacon in the midst of closed and shuttered stores. Inuyasha took a deep breath before going through the door.

Somehow, it was easier to approach her like this. She was distracted, and he could watch her from the shelves as the other attendees sought her signature for their copies of her book. He had been walking around with his copy, thumbing through to see the art and skim the dialogue to get a feel of the story. It was interesting, not the kind of thing he usually read, but it caught his attention. There seemed to be a few characters who were youkai in it, which was intriguing, but he was having trouble identifying who was who when he was more focused on coming up with a game plan. He wanted to approach Kagome, but he was a little intimidated by the idea of trying to talk to her at the table with her artist friend _right there._

“I thought for sure he’d come.” If his ears had been present, they would have perked at the sound of a very familiar voice. “He really said he was going to check his schedule." She paused, a soft sound of frustration leaving her. "He doesn’t have a busy social life. Shippou told me going out with him is the most socializing he does every week."

Her friend smiled softly. “He’s shy, Kagome. He may not have felt comfortable coming when he knew there would be a lot of people here.” Inuyasha winced. She was right. That had been _part_ of his hesitation. “It’s too bad though. I would have liked to see him after you mentioned how similar he looks to…” A group of young women approached the table, cutting off the artist’s comment. He managed a few steps closer to the line, thinking to slip in unnoticed, get his copy signed and slip back out. “You’ll never get up here at that rate,” came a gently laughing voice. Inuyasha looked up at the table and found two pairs of dark brown eyes staring at him where he was lurking between book shelves. _I look like a total creep._ He finally took the few steps forward and held out his copy of the book when he reached the table. “Who did you want it made out to?” And he froze completely. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He’d been so busy working up the nerve to approach the table in the first place that he hadn't come up with an alias or even the name of a fake friend.

"Uh…"

"I can just sign it…"

"Yash. To Yash is fine." The words tumbled out ahead of his brain, cutting her off. Kagome smiled softly, then ducked her head to scrawl the dedication and her signature just inside the cover. Tess took her turn next, scribbling something he couldn't read upside-down. She then elbowed Kagome lightly and told her she was going to grab them drinks.

Inuyasha blinked as the artist left them relatively alone. "You seem… familiar. Have you come into the store before?" Kagome's eyes were taking him in, trying to pinpoint how she knew him.

"A-A few times, yea. I saw the flyer for the book release." She smiled warmly. "I haven't had a chance to read much of it yet, but I'm looking forward to it."

"Thank you. I'm glad you could come out, Yash." He nodded sheepishly, folding his arms around the book against his chest. "Are you sticking around? The party later?"

Inuyasha's eyes went wide at the question. "I c-could." Her smile was soft, a little shy. Their moment was interrupted by Tess returning and another small group arriving to have their book copies signed. "I'll see you then, I guess."

"Alright!"

* * *

The party was relatively chill, much more so than he had anticipated, but Inuyasha still stuck to the edges of the room. He knew no one, and theoretically, no one here knew him either. At least, not this version of him. 

A tap on his shoulder made him jump, spinning to find a pair of only somewhat familiar eyes sizing him up. “Tess Potter, since you didn’t ask.” Inuyasha gaped at her for a moment. “So. Yash, right?” Tess asked, a secretive smile on her lips. She was only as tall as his chest, but Inuyasha found himself feeling like there was a lot more power packed in that little frame than met the eye. He nodded and her smirk grew. “You sure you haven’t been by the store before? You seem… familiar.” Inuyasha took a hard swig of the beer in his hand, needing a moment to think. He almost gagged, gulping it down and coughing a bit.

“I… I have been to the store a few times, but not, you know, recently?”

“Uh huh.” He took a smaller sip this time to keep from further embarrassing himself. “You had a chance to read some of the book yet?” she asked. Inuyasha knew that her question was loaded, he just couldn’t understand how… or why. _This beer is hitting me faster than usual. Probably should have eaten…_ He shook his head instead of responding verbally, knowing that he was far more likely to make a fool of himself with the faint buzz. “I think you’ll find it pretty interesting, really. Kagome writes such great protagonists.”

“Ah. Yea. I skimmed it earlier, but I’m honestly not much of a reader,” he confided in the artist, wincing at the honesty.

Tess laughed faintly. “That’s alright. I’m sure you’ll get _drawn in_ once you start.” The inflection in her statement made him tip his head in confusion, but she only patted his shoulder and made her way back into the more crowded side of the party.

He stayed there, relatively alone, for some time, sipping his beer and accepting another when someone came by with a tray of them. The way it had hit him earlier reminded him that he should nibble on something at least, forcing Inuyasha to push off the wall and go in search of the snacks he had seen on a table on his way in. He filled a tiny plate with crackers, cheese and some fruit, nose wrinkling at the garlicky cream cheese spread and deciding to avoid it for now. “Oh! There you are!” He almost dropped his plate in surprise, his beer rocking precariously on the edge of the table where he had set it down for a moment. “Sorry!” Kagome gasped, reaching out to help him stabilize both the plate and the bottle. He belatedly realized he was trapped between her and the table when he looked up to find her dark eyes and button nose within centimeters of his. Inuyasha flushed slightly, the alcohol making it harder to control his reaction to her proximity.

“Uh… Yea, no. It’s alright.”

Kagome didn’t step away at first, then seemed to break out of a momentary trance and leaned back, biting her lip and lowering her gaze. “I’m really glad you came. I wanted the chance to get to talk with you.” Inuyasha bit back the flash of jealousy. She wanted to talk with human him. _That’s not fair. She tried to invite you as a hanyou,_ a tiny part of his brain tried to remind him. His slightly tipsy brain brushed it aside, liquid courage building in his gut.

“I wanted the chance to talk more too,” he replied. Kagome smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks as well. He motioned vaguely with his plate to an empty corner and she smiled warmly. She turned and made her way over, a sway in her hips that Inuyasha was not used to seeing. Though she wasn’t usually wearing heels when he saw her either.

They sat and nibbled on his plate of snacks while Inuyasha downed another beer and Kagome nursed a glass of wine. They people-watched mostly, but occasionally talked about books they had read or movies they had seen. Inuyasha was aware enough to know he needed to avoid talking about his personal life so he didn’t slip up and mention Shippou or his mother. She knew too much about him to not catch on. Kagome leaned into his space to ask him a question when the music got too loud and he just… couldn’t help reaching up to coil a lock of her hair around his finger. “Yash?” she questioned when he didn’t immediately let go. He hummed, staring at the silky black curl sliding along the callous on his index finger. “Could I…” Their eyes found one another in the dim light of the corner they occupied and he smiled a little. She returned his smile and leaned toward him, a clear invitation in her posture. Inuyasha sighed as he slipped his hand against her neck, drawing her into a kiss by her nape. Kagome made a soft little sound in the back of her throat.

Her mouth was soft, open, inviting. Inuyasha had never had a kiss feel like this before. It amazed him that this woman, this beautiful and intelligent woman, was gently biting his lip, sucking it between her own and meeting his tongue with hers as though them being like this was the most natural thing in the world. And it _felt_ natural. His fingers in her hair, hers tugging at the long dark plait down his back. He wanted to feel her nails against his skin, her fingers gripping him tightly as he… Inuyasha gasped, pulling back a moment to breathe and cool his heated blood. That was… that was a lot to expect when she, technically, didn’t know him at all. “Kagome, maybe we should…”

“Yash I… I normally wouldn't do this, but I feel like I know you and that's just…. You know?" In a way, he did. Because that's how he felt when he was with her all the time. Like it was where he was meant to be. Like this was special. "I live a few blocks over."

Inuyasha pulled in a hard breath. "You want to get outta here?" he asked, barely believing the line was leaving his mouth. Never had he ever been in a situation where he got the opportunity to be the smooth operator type, the one who moved things to the next level. He let out the breath he'd been holding when she smiled, nodding. "C'mon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🐣🐰 anyone?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: Inuyasha pulled in a hard breath. "You want to get outta here?" he asked, barely believing the line was leaving his mouth. Never had he ever been in a situation where he got the opportunity to be the smooth operator type, the one who moved things to the next level. He let out the breath he'd been holding when she smiled, nodding. "C'mon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Smoots. Lots of smoots. 😏

Her apartment was easily in walking distance, even with how his balance wasn't quite cooperating. It didn't help that Kagome kept tugging him down to plant a kiss on his lips, or whisper something in his ear. There was a giddiness in her demeanor that he hadn't seen before, but it gave him a similar sensation of butterflies. She kept giggling, tugging on his braid, winding and unwinding their fingers. It made him a little breathless, the continuous touches and kisses. _ Has to be the wine _ , he thought, vaguely tasting it on her breath as they kissed in the doorway of her apartment.  _ That's why she's so giggly. _

"Are you sure," he gasped out, "that you want to…" Her hands had slid under his shirt, fingernails lightly scratching down either side of his spine. A thrill went through his nerves, tingling his skin, making his clothes feel like too much pressure on his body.

"Stop talking and kiss me," Kagome demanded. He groaned, dropping his mouth to hers and letting his fingers card through her hair. She pressed into him, her body molding to his as she whimpered. Inuyasha's hands slid down her back and to her waist, spanning it as he pulled her against him to let her feel his arousal grinding into her. "Are you done teasing?" she whispered, a challenge in her tone. He hesitated for a moment, then let his hands drop under her thighs, lifting them around his waist, delighting in her little squeak of surprise. Her heels clattered to the floor and he grinned at the soft sound of relief she made to have them off. He kicked the door closed behind him and made his way to her room with some directions, Kagome nibbling on his neck as they went, draining what little restraint he had left.

Practically dropping her onto the bed, Inuyasha yanked his shirt over his head before slinking up the mattress over her. The straps on her dress had fallen loose at the shoulders, inviting his lips and teeth. "Depends on what you want me to tease," he hissed, licking a trail up from the edge of her dress to her collar bone, then pressing his teeth into her neck a little harder than he really meant to. He was startled by her moan, the way she grasped at his shoulders.  _ Does Kagome like being bitten?! _ a tiny incredulous voice whispered in the back of his mind. Inuyasha slipped his tongue across her skin, chasing the zipper in the back down her spine with his fingertips. He found himself on the other side of her neck, contemplating the curve of her jaw in the light from the streetlamp. The pale expanse of her throat drew him in and again he bit her, not hard enough to break skin, but enough to hold her in place as he rolled his hips into hers.

"Oh gods," she sobbed, fingers digging into his hair and keeping him there. He slid her dress over her arms to her waist, caressing the curve of her ribs with his thumb. She arched against his touch like a cat when he pressed a line down the middle of her, stopping at her bellybutton. "Keep going," she murmured, hips undulating in invitation. "Please, Yash." He smiled against her throat where he still held her, tongue tickling the flesh between his teeth. Kagome huffed out a laugh, then swallowed when his jaw tightened just a bit. With her pliant beneath him again, he pulled at the fabric of her dress until it fell below her backside, the curve of her hip drawing his hand.

Finally releasing her neck, he smirked at the whimper she barely suppressed as he got the chance to take her in with his eyes. She was curved in all the right places, rounded hips, pert breasts peaked with hardened nipples pressing against her strapless bra. Her skin was smooth, only a scar at her waist catching his attention for a brief moment. But then her hands were on his cheeks to pull him into a hard kiss and he forgot all about it. “Kagome,” he muttered, blindly tugging at the button on his fly. Her hands left his cheeks and slipped over his neck, his shoulders, down his chest and to his waistband, deftly unbuttoning his pants for him. It was his turn to whimper when her slim fingers snuck into his boxers, caressing him with gentle confidence.

Inuyasha felt his head spinning a little as his focus shifted from exploring her body to feeling her touch. He had some experience, but not at this level of passion. Never had he felt this sensitive, anticipating every caress, every movement on her part. Kagome continued to stare up at him, watching his facial expressions and listening for any sounds he let slip. “Do you need something different?” she whispered in slight concern.

“N-No.”

“You’re just that quiet, huh?” she asked with a smile. He let out a surprised gasp when her thumb found the sensitive spot on the underside near the head, his whole body curling toward her without his permission. “There you are,” she murmured. She sat up, tugging his bottoms down over his ass and setting him free. “Don’t be shy with me, alright?” she whispered in his ear, pressing her cheek to his. “You’re safe here.”

Her words seemed odd, but he could only focus on them for a breath before she was grasping him entirely in her hand, stroking him from base to tip. She nudged him until he tipped backward and let her pull his clothes the rest of the way off. Her strapless bra was expertly unhooked and tossed aside. Inuyasha took a moment to stare at the gift that was Kagome's breasts. Catching on to his gaze, she blushed, then quickly returned to gripping him with just a bit less pressure than he typically liked, but with the friction he desperately wanted. “Oh gods,” he breathed. Why did having her take control have him swelling in her hand so quickly? Just a moment ago, the way she let him dominate her was heating his blood. Soon it didn’t matter much as he was too lost in the sensation of her covered heat moving over him instead of her hand. There was a delicious combination of silky fabric and damp heat that had him shuddering below her. “Kagome, I…”

“Can I?” she asked him, biting her lower lip between her teeth and swallowing hard. “I want you inside me,” she said softly, rolling her hips over his to increase the sensation for both of them. Inuyasha whimpered his consent, aching to feel her wet heat all around him.

“Yes,” he said aloud when she hesitated. “Kagome, yes.”

She let out a shaky breath and leaned down to kiss him, slowing their frantic pace and drawing him even deeper in love with her. He tentatively pushed at the band of her panties, relieved when she shifted to help him get them off of her. The smooth expanse of her stomach drew his thumbs before he could quite work up the nerve to slide them down through the dark curls that covered her slick center. "Oh," she moaned softly.

Inuyasha was awed by the sight of her over him, taking pleasure in his tentative touches, head lolling to the side while she closed her eyes as if wanting to focus only on his fingers. "H-Here?" He breathed when she bucked toward him at a particular brush. Kagome nodded, a slim hand covering his to keep him there.  _ She is so beautiful. _ "Kagome," he sighed.

She smiled at her name on his breath. He was a little confused when she leaned down, not to kiss him, but to reach past him. The crinkle of foil told him what he needed to know. A shuddering breath entered his lungs as she smoothed the latex over his straining cock, even that slightly muted touch causing him to shiver with anticipation. "You sure?" she asked him, making full eye contact in the dim light. He smiled a little, reaching up to caress her cheek, pulling her down for a soft, slow kiss.

“Yes.” Kagome chuckled against his lips, rolling up to slide against him, moving slowly forward and back until he slipped inside her. “Kagome,” he gasped when she rolled her hips up and back in a way that had him twitching under her. That sensitive spot hit somewhere deep within her and he could feel the ridges of her walls as she moved. “Fuck,” he almost growled.

She groaned. “I like your voice like that,” she murmured. Hands gliding up her thighs to her hips, Inuyasha held her tight, helping her drop down on top of him even harder than before.

“You like when I’m rough?” he said, a smirk on his lips. A fang would have been peeking out if he’d had them in that moment. Kagome whined, squeezing him with her thighs on either side of his hips. Inuyasha took that as a good sign, driving his hips upward to meet her while simultaneously pulling her down onto his cock. “I thought you liked being in control, Ka-go-me,” he taunted her, grip a little tighter on her waist. She gasped, head falling back and revealing the delicious line of her neck. A neck he’d had his teeth pressed to not all that long ago and desperately wanted to again.

Inuyasha pulled her down against him by the shoulders and, pressing a heel into the bed for leverage, flipped them over. Kagome squeaked in surprise, but moaned shortly after as he started pounding into her, hands on her ass and holding her tightly in place. “Inuyasha,” she whispered, gasping and whimpering. Her fingers dug into his thighs, nails pressing just hard enough to likely bruise but not cut. The grin he gave her was almost feral as he leaned down to kiss her roughly, lips and tongue alternating with slight nips of his teeth. Kagome arched, her breasts against his chest, and made tiny noises in the back of her throat. Inuyasha grunted, kissing across her jaw until he found her neck again. Gently at first, he pressed his teeth against her, continuing his nearly brutal thrusts into her heat. As he increased his pace, so increased the pressure of his teeth against her flesh. While he had at least expected her to moan, he hadn’t expected the keening cry that left her, pussy tightening around him and her thighs squeezing him to keep him close. 

The rippling of her orgasm had him on the edge of his. When her fingers grasped his ass and squeezed he was completely undone. He snarled into her neck, teeth clamping down a little harder and hips pulsing against her until he was entirely spent.

The pair lay gasping for several moments before Inuyasha could manage to release her. All their muscles, previously rigid with the strength of their combined orgasm, relaxed by degrees. Kagome was letting out little gasping sounds, her arm over her eyes.  _ I-Is she crying? _ he wondered. Inuyasha nuzzled her nose gently to get her attention. “Kagome?” She nodded, but didn’t move her arm. He nudged her arm until she finally moved it, only to turn her head away. “Are you alright?” he breathed. The rapid nod he got in response made it clear she was anything but. "D-Did I hurt you?" he asked in a terrified voice.

"No!" she gasped. "No. That was just… exactly what I needed. How did you… know?" she wondered, her voice hardly a whisper. Inuyasha sighed in relief.

"Didn't," he confessed, his vision blurring slightly. He was getting tired.  _ Damned oxytocin. Damned human night. _ "Just felt right." Inuyasha shifted, reluctantly pulling from her and carefully removing the condom. He lay down beside her after throwing it away, swearing to himself that he would get back up in a minute. "C'mere." His gentle tug on her arm made her lower it and she let him pull her into his side, his longer frame curling around her. "S'ok?" he slurred slightly, the faint remnant of the alcohol and the relaxation hormones in his body pulling at him to sleep.  _ Need to fight it. Need to get up and leave, _ he reminded himself.

"Yea, Yash, it's ok." He grinned, nuzzling the top of her head. The lulling warmth of her body, her scent right under his weak nose, beckoned him into sleep. He vaguely heard Kagome say something else, but he couldn't understand her. 

Then he was out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sun rises... So also does our sleepy pair.

The tingle woke his body before his brain could possibly register what it was. He was warm, comfortable, and there was a delicious scent under his nose. Inuyasha yawned and rolled his shoulders a bit. His youki was returning, the tingle becoming a buzz and then eventually settling down. His ears, then his nose, twitched as he finally became more aware. _Where…_ He peeled his eyes open to glance around. He was not in his own room. This was not his apartment.

The source of the warm and delightful smell shifted against him, lightly sweaty skin sticking together. "Mmm."

Her hum of contentment snapped him out of his befuddlement. _Holy shit. I'm in bed with Kagome still. Fuck!_ Inuyasha lay frozen, terrified that if he moved, he would wake her, but knowing he _had_ to get out of there before she realized who he was. There was no way she would accept his apology for lying to her. For tricking her into sleeping with a hanyou, even if he was human at the time.

She was completely tangled up with him and the sheets. His legs were trapped under her thigh flung over top. Her arm was clinging to his ribs, his arms wrapped around her shoulders with her head tucked under his chin. He could feel her breath puffing lightly against his sternum as she slept. There was almost no way he could peel them apart without waking her, unless she was the heaviest sleeper ever. Inuyasha very much doubted that.

Getting their legs free was easiest, shifting slightly until her leg slid off of his. The smooth skin brushing against him did not help his situation, but at least now he could start to wiggle his arm out from under her head. She huffed, nuzzling his chest and pressing closer for a moment. Inuyasha held his breath until she settled down again. Left arm free, her head now on the pillow instead, he started to edge his torso back from her. He shuddered when she squeezed him, breasts squished between them. "Oh f…" Inuyasha bit his lip to hold back his curse. He could feel her beaded nipples against his chest. Her lips moved slightly but even his sharp ears couldn't pick up on what she might be saying. It didn't matter. He needed to get out of there!

Inuyasha made a more concentrated effort to wiggle out of her grasp, throwing caution to the wind a bit in his desperation. Kagome couldn't see him! "Inuyasha…" That he heard. Her voice was sleepy. Maybe she would think she dreamed it… The inuhanyou plucked her arm off of him, ready to go out the window naked if he had to. He was halfway there when he heard "Hang on."

Inuyasha stalled out, stuttering to a stop and letting his hands hang at his sides in defeat.

"Inuyasha, where are you going?" He stared out the window, golden eyes reflected in the glass. The sun was just barely above the horizon. _The day I ruined everything._ "Inuyasha?"

"I'm sorry," he croaked out, unable to look at her. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" His head whipped around, eyes wide. She lay there, head propped up on her hand, one brow lifted in question. She looked… entirely unsurprised to see him. "For trying to run out on me without even saying goodbye, let alone good morning?" Inuyasha frowned slightly. Why wasn't she surprised to see him? _Hanyou_ him.

When he didn't move to come any closer, nor turn to leave, she finally rolled out of her bed with a sigh. She stepped up to him, chin lifted so she could meet his eyes from her vantage point. Her finger traced down the middle of his chest, then moved to pinpoint his heart. "K-Kagome?"

"You seriously thought I didn't know it was you?" she whispered, lashes batting at him as she looked up at him. "I thought it was a game you were playing at first. But… you really thought I wouldn't recognize you?" All he could do was blink at her, dumbfounded. "I know you, Inuyasha. I have been memorizing your face," she murmured, opposite hand cupping his cheek. "Your movements. Your voice." Her thumb caressed his lower lip. Inuyasha felt fire drop into his belly. "I know you, no matter what."

"How… Why… I thought…"

"You thought that I was only interested in you last night because you were a human?" He winced. "I don't just sleep with anyone," Kagome bit out, the faintest hint of anger in her scent. He stayed stock still as she went up on her toes to brush her lips softly across his. "I would have known it was you. No matter what." Inuyasha sucked in a breath. Her scent had gone from neutral to hot in barely a moment. His head felt like it was spinning from all the sensory information. Kagome knew it was him all along. She chose to take him home, knowing who and what he was, she _chose_ him.

He didn't understand that, but he did understand how much he suddenly wanted her.

Inuyasha growled, lifting her off her feet and taking her lips in a hard kiss. She giggled happily into his mouth, arms and legs wrapping securely around him. His tongue delved in to taste her as he controlled their fall to the bed. He let his hips roll against hers and groaned at the slickness of her center. She was hot, wet, open… "Kagome… fuck."

"Yes, please," she sighed with a laugh.

Inuyasha growled at her teasing, hand moving down to press his knuckles to her clit in retaliation. She gasped sharply, back bowing and thighs tightening on his hips. "Don't rush me, woman," he whispered as he leaned down to take a nipple between his lips. His tongue lashed against the sensitive flesh and Kagome cried out. He remembered how she responded to his teeth…

"Oh gods," she whimpered when his fangs pressed delicately into her breast. He didn't dare go near her collarbone for fear of what he might do. "Inuyasha!"

He chuckled darkly, a bit too pleased by what he'd discovered about Kagome. "If I leave a mark here…"

"Please."

Inuyasha grinned a bit. "If someone else saw, they'd know you belong to someone."

"To you?" He grunted an affirmative. "Then you better leave a few. Just in case." His youkai thought that was the best response he could ever have received. Inuyasha felt heat up his spine, his ears tingling. His teeth and the suction from his mouth left tiny red marks all over her chest, a larger one over her heart as if to lay claim to it. He let his cock slide between her folds without actually entering her, no matter the temptation. "Inuyasha, please."

"Please what?"

"Inuyasha!" she scolded him, trying to align the head of his cock with her opening.

He tried to pull back. "Can't. Don't have a…"

"Don't care," she growled, grasping his ass and pulling him into her without warning. Inuyasha yelped, then bit his lip hard to hold back the whimpering that rose in his throat. _Holy fuck did that feel good._ He couldn't help sliding out and back in a few times, the heat, the slick… It was a lot. And more than he had ever felt before.

"Kagome, maybe this isn't a g-great idea," he grit out. His teeth were clenched tight as he tried to hold himself back. A moan was pulled from him as she tightened around him for a moment, stealing his capacity for thought. "That feels way too good."

"Mmm. Mmhmm," she hummed. Her eyes closed as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. "Harder, Inuyasha. Like last night."

"Kagome," he whined, "that's going to make me…"

"Inuyasha, stop worrying," she snapped.

He couldn't deny her, especially when she wanted him to give in and fuck her the way he so desperately wanted to. "Let me know if it hurts," was his only warning before lifting her hips in his hands and driving into her with nearly bruising force. The sounds she made rang in his ears, feeding his beast and setting fire to his blood. "You feel so good, Kagome," he breathed between thrusts. He wasn't sure he could hold out much longer. Her scent, her body moving against his, around his… His senses were overwhelmed with _Kagome_. "W-Where?" he asked. "Kagome, I'm gonna…"

Inuyasha snarled when her legs came up around his waist, ankles locking behind his lower back. His youkai liked that way too much. The idea that even a tiny part of her might want him to breed her... "Don't stop," she demanded, pleaded.

He leaned down, nipping her neck. "You want my cum in you?" he hissed in her ear. His eyes felt hot. Kagome sucked in a startled breath when she felt his fangs more pointedly against the soft spot under her jaw. "Do you?" She whimpered that she did. "Good," he growled. The electricity that ran through him forced a breath from his lungs, the heat of his breath on her neck making Kagome shiver. The sounds of their skin smacking together and her escalating cries echoed in his head.

Kagome drawing in a sharp breath, her back bowing as she clung desperately to the sheets, heralded her release. Her mouth was open in a silent scream, dark eyes pinched closed. Inuyasha's smirk grew as the curve of her throat drew his attention. Her pussy squeezed him until he couldn't hold back anymore. His fangs were at her shoulder before he realized it, but he had just enough sense to mouth the flesh there instead of letting his fangs break the skin. His cock throbbed inside of her, a tiny whimper pulled from his chest as he pulsed his hips against hers more slowly, weakening with the strength of his orgasm. His thighs shook as a particularly strong muscle spasm rocked Kagome, her walls so tight he couldn't move.

"Fuck," he whispered, "Holy shit."

Slowly, huffing for breath, they relaxed their positions until Kagome lay spread eagle under him while he rested his forehead against her chest. Kagome chuckled quietly. "I don't know that I took you for a cusser, Inuyasha." He glanced up, slight fear in his golden eyes. "I kinda like that," she giggled breathlessly. It took him a moment to process what she'd said before he finally let a smile tilt his mouth. He looked down at her, immediately noticing the tiny bruises and hickies he'd left everywhere. Even her thighs had slight fingertip-sized red spots that would likely become bruises too.

"Shit. Kagome, I…" She shifted onto her elbows, making him breathe in sharply through his nose at the feel of her around him. She studied him a moment in silence, looking into his eyes, glancing at his ears, his mouth, down the length of their bodies still interconnected… When he was close to itchy with the suspense, she smiled faintly, then took his lips softly with her own. She brushed her lips over his, barely pressing, drawing him closer to her. His eyes closed to focus on feeling the slick heat of her mouth, her tongue moving with his. Inuyasha shuddered when she very lightly bit his lower lip, pulling back and tugging it between her teeth.

"Stop apologizing," she whispered, her lips still brushing his.

"There are marks…"

"Good."

"I lied."

"Not very well."

He swallowed thickly. "We didn't use p-protection." At his whisper, she kissed him again, his mind forgetting what he was supposed to be worried about when his body was feeling the positive effects all too easily. Her hips even rolled up against him just the tiniest bit. Inuyasha couldn't help whimpering.

"I. Don't. Care." He reared back. "I'm on the pill," she explained, clearly trying to keep from rolling her eyes at his dramatic response. She nibbled his chin thoughtfully. "Would it really bother you if I weren't?" Her question was hardly louder than a breath, but his sensitive ears picked it up without issue, an electric signal shooting down his spine to his groin. He was hard so fast his head almost swooned. His youkai seemed to like that idea even more.

Hips moving of their own accord, he fell to his elbows, lips brushing her neck, her ear. “I think it should… but it doesn’t,” he confessed. He felt her chest ripple with a chuckle. He nipped her ear a little harder as a reprimand for teasing him. His inuyoukai was coming out much more strongly than he was accustomed to in any situation, but he had never been with anyone who pulled his instincts to the fore so roughly. And he didn’t think she was doing it on purpose. “Kagome, I’m feeling kinda… off. Maybe we should stop.” He slowed some, his youki roiling in frustration just under the surface of his control. Stopping was the last thing his youkai wanted, which is exactly why they should.

“Are you worried you’ll scare me?” she asked softly, nudging his cheek with hers until he lifted his head to meet her eyes. His ears flicked with anxiety. “I trust you, Inuyasha.”

“I don’t,” he retorted.

Kagome gave him a wry half smile. She lifted her hand and pressed it over where his heart lay. “This? This is good. You are a good man.” He could only blink at her. “I trust you because I know what kind of man you are. You would never try to hurt me.” A shocked breath entered his lungs and he let it out slowly. “I know it feels like we haven’t known each other that long but, Inuyasha, I wasn’t lying last night. I have always felt like I _knew_ you. From the very first time we met.”

He hesitated before confessing that he’d had similar thoughts. How could she be so certain, though? She had never encountered the darker side of him. His youkai could be dangerous, demanding, irrational. “Kagome, I care about you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“And that’s exactly why I trust you.”

Were he even slightly less controlled than he was, Inuyasha might have cried at her words. It had been a cyclical conversation, but it just showed that “no matter what,” Kagome trusted him. “Are you sure?” he asked softly.

“Yes.” Kagome took his cheeks between her hands and made sure he was looking her in the eyes. “Now fuck me like I know you want to because I want you to.”

Inuyasha couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of him followed quickly by boiling heat. His youkai was all too happy to hear her demand that he give her what they both wanted. “If that’s what you want, who am I to refuse?” he chuckled. He began moving again, slowly, but deliberately. Kagome sighed and relaxed back onto the bed. She let her fingers trail down her middle until they reached her center. The tips of her nails lightly caught his cock as he slid into her, making him groan. She pressed circles to her clit until he felt her urgency increase. He took over touching her in time with his thrusts, telling her to touch her breasts for him.

“Like this?” she asked breathlessly, cupping them in her hands and tracing the hardened nipples with her thumbs. A full body twitch made him pause at the sight, but he kept going. She gave him a secretive little grin, then pinched the peaks at the same time, a moan leaving her throat as the head of his cock seemed to hit the mouth of her womb. He could feel it, she could feel it, and it was amazing.

Again his youkai reared up at the thought of breeding her, even though his logical self knew it wasn’t likely. It wasn’t just his eyes that felt hot anymore. His skin, his spine, his ears… He felt like he was on fire. “Kagome,” he snarled around fangs becoming too large in his mouth. Something wasn’t… “Fuck!” he barked out when she squeezed him so tightly he lost his breath. She felt way too good, too hot, too tight, too… too… Inuyasha felt his beast rumble inside him, suddenly realizing what the hell was wrong with him. His youkai was trying to come to the fore and he was so enrapt in feeling Kagome’s sweet pussy around his cock that he could hardly restrain it. _No, no, no!_ he mentally cried as he bared his fangs at her, and growled. He felt like a passenger in his own body as he leaned down, very ready to sink his fangs into her. Exactly as he had promised himself he wouldn’t do.

“Inuyasha, you don’t… ah… you don’t want that,” she gasped at him, intercepting his mouth with a kiss and distracting his youkai with her taste instead. The distraction proved to be perfectly timed as he erupted inside her, his whole body quaking with the strength of his orgasm. Kagome cried out as he continued to pump into her, wringing another growl from him into her neck as she fluttered around him. “Inu,” she whimpered over and over, writhing against him. He noticed the scent of tears in the air and he sat up. “I… I’m sorry.”

Inuyasha swallowed hard, his blood receding and taking his confidence with it. He finally slipped from her heat and lay beside her, rolling her into his arms. “What are you apologizing for?” She shook her head with a sob. “Kagome?” he whispered, carefully taking her face in his hands.

“I just… the crying. I can’t always help it. When it’s… good. I can’t…” It took him a moment to comprehend what she was telling him and then a grin split his mouth. “What?” she sniffed.

“So it was that good?”

Kagome blinked, then raised an eyebrow at his cocky tone. “Y-Yes?” His grin became a chuckle. “It’s not funny!” She pushed against his chest. Inuyasha couldn’t help scooping her closer instead, kissing her forehead and nuzzling her hair.

“I’m not laughing at you. I just thought you were so disappointed it was making you cry.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she replied with a snort, eventually settling into his hold.

They lay there for some time, lightly touching and murmuring things in the early morning light. As the sun rose, Inuyasha’s eye was drawn to their clothes strewn across her room and he smiled. His gaze caught his copy of Kagome’s graphic novel on her dresser and he vaguely recalled Tess jotting something along with her signature that he hadn’t taken the time to read. The way she spoke to him at the party made it seem like she knew something he didn’t… He reached over with one long arm and grabbed it, flipping open the the cover to the title page. Kagome’s signature caught his attention first. He liked the way she signed her “K” at the beginning of her name. It was kinda swoopy and curly. It made him think of her smile for some reason. He noted that she had put the nickname he’d given her as his name in quotes. Had he been paying more attention, he probably would have realized that she was onto him much earlier. Then Tess’s dedication grabbed his notice. There were two page numbers scrawled next to his name and a note to “take a good look” when he got there.

With a slight frown pulling down his dark brows, he let the pages flutter until he found the first page listed. He found a full page image of the human man he’d seen in the original image Kagome showed him but this time he was moping on a balcony, his foot up on the railing and a brooding look on his face. _My face. That is my face_ , he thought in faint panic. His eyesight was pretty good, so there was no doubt in his mind, even as he yanked the picture closer to analyze it. The young woman stood beside his doppelganger, frustration clear in the pout of her mouth. He skimmed the text on the opposite page, awed by the description given by the male character of how useless he felt because he was human. “Nose doesn’t work worth shit…” He glanced at Kagome who was staring up at him in slight confusion.

Holding his breath, he skipped to the second page number and stared at what appeared to be him. Again. But as a hanyou this time. His hair was a bit longer than he usually kept it, but the point still stood that it was almost undeniably _him_ . Inuyasha just blinked for a few moments in complete and utter shock. How was he supposed to take that? He went back to the dedication Tess had written and reread her note. **She always knew who was the right one** , it said. “Inuyasha?”

“D-Did you give Tess pictures of me?” She gave him a very confused look before glancing down at the book in his hands. She slowly realized what and why he was asking.

“No. I didn’t have to.” He dropped the book as though it burned him. “I wrote that long before I met you, you know. I guess I sort of… changed what I thought they looked like some. But his character was always a hanyou.”

“O-Oh.”

“Are you upset?” she breathed, fear entering her scent and making him wince. “I… It wasn’t on purpose.” Inuyasha took a deep breath and sighed it out. While he was startled by the knowledge that, inadvertently, he was the hero of a graphic novel, he was more stunned by the fact that Kagome had been so aware of him as to let him infiltrate her story writing. It was flattering, despite his initial confusion and shock. _Maybe… maybe that's kinda how she felt before._

“No, just surprised I guess. I should have read it more closely last night.”

“I think you were a bit… distracted.” Kagome gave him a tentative smile, pressing her index finger against his sternum. “Why were you so nervous if you thought I didn’t know it was you?” she finally asked. “You could have walked in there with a total bad ass bravado thing going on and I might have been convinced I didn’t know you at all.”

“R-Really?!”

Kagome gave him a look questioning his intelligence. “Inuyasha, you stand the same way, with your shoulders… Here, I’ll show you!” She hopped out of bed, startling him, standing in the nude and doing a very good impression of his slightly hunched posture and the way he tried to make himself look smaller and less threatening than his six foot plus frame implied. It was all the funnier because Kagome was barely five foot six and couldn’t look physically intimidating if she tried. Inuyasha couldn’t help chuckling before reaching out to drag her back into bed on top of him and rolling her over. The sheets tangled with their legs, but he barely noticed, simply staring down at the beautifully flushed face of the woman he was terrified to realize he was utterly in love with. Head over heels, completely doomed, in love. “Inuyasha?” she murmured softly.

“Yea?”

“Can we date?” she breathed. The blush on her cheeks increased and he felt a matching pinking of his own.

“Y-Yea. I’d like that.” _Love it, actually._ “I should be asking you that though, don’t you think?” Kagome grinned, tracing his lower lip with her fingers and studying the way his golden eyes took her in.

“I don’t think it matters really. As long as someone asks the question and the answer is the same.” She reached up and brushed a soft kiss against his lips. “The result is the same.”

Inuyasha felt himself give her a real and honest smile. “How’d you get so smart?”

Kagome’s grin was teasing, as though she wanted to burst into laughter but was holding it back. Finally she sighed, then a faint giggle. “I read a lot of books.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _The End!_  
>  Thank you so much for your support and following the long wait on the successive parts of this story! I hope you enjoyed them in this modern setting with a slight twist on their personalities. 😘


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